When I posted a call for interns this past summer, I’ll be honest. I was a nervous wreck. I was worried whoever came on board would not pick up editing as fast as I wanted them too. I was worried that this person would think my OCD tendencies were weird. I was worried that this person would be working out of my home office IN MY HOME, and realize that among the work I needed to do, and the house I needed to take care of, and of course the mothering of my kids, that this business wasn’t as glamourous as they thought. Well, truthfully, it really isn’t as glamourous as most people think it is. You don’t just start a photography business overnight. It’s a long, stressful, sleepless process, and you never reach that peak where you’re like “This is it. I’m way better than all the other photographers & I have a perfect system & balance.” With all the worries I had, the thing I worried most about was that my intern would leave feeling like he/she didn’t learn anything and that the whole experience wasn’t worth it. I was sick to my stomach about it. Believe me. But as the days and weeks went by, I realized I worried for no reason at all. In fact, the entire experience went a whole lot better than I could ever have imagined it would.

Courtney stood out immediately from the other applications I received for the internship. All I asked for was an email from my applicants containing responses to some simple questions I asked. Courtney emailed me asking if she could send hers via snail mail. Initially I thought sarcastically “umm okay?” I continued receiving applications locally, and even a few from aspiring photographers throughout the United States. I REALLY didn’t think I would get any interests outside of Charlotte, but I was blown away by the amount of people willing to travel to Charlotte to learn from me and work with me. Including Courtney. She had two things going against her. She was willing to make me wait a couple of days to receive her application using the snail mail method AND she would be traveling from Wauchula to live in Charlotte for three months for this. A few days went by, and I received a package in the mail from Miss Courtney. I opened it up and I was stunned. She made a scrapbook for an application. A scrapbook!

It was filled with pictures and personal stuff about her, many things of which we’d both had in common. I showed Alin and he simply said: “You two have a lot in common.” I put her scrapbook away and continued receiving applications and vowed that I wouldn’t let hers distract me from the others. But I couldn’t get hers out of my mind. I then concluded: “If someone took that much time and effort to think outside the box and be so creative as to make a scrapbook for an application, then that is who I want working with me. THAT is the kind of person I want to teach.” So I emailed her telling her that she was the one. And she came for 10 weeks that in my opinion, went by way too quickly. I have grown to love this girl. She was quick to help, quick to learn, and like her scrapbook application, went over and above what was asked of her. She was -the perfect intern. But not only that, she was a perfect friend. And my kids loved her to pieces. I will always think of her and will miss her dearly.

If you are an aspiring photographer and are interested in an internship opportunity for 8 weeks from 09/16/2010 thru 11/19/2010, stay tuned. I will be posting an internship casting call later on today!

For now, here are some pictures of my first and favorite intern, Courtney.